Education of a Kabbalist

Education of a Kabbalist – Rav Berg

My teacher, Rabbi Brandwein, took me into his private study. He said he had something important to say to me, and that he wanted me to pay close attention.

He closed his eyes for a moment to focus his thoughts, which he often did when he was concentrating. He said, “I’ve been waiting for someone to appear who would explain Kabbalah completely and perfectly — so perfectly that everyone would at last be brought back to spirituality. And I have decided that this person is you.”

Rabbi Brandwein held my gaze steadily. I could not turn away. What he had just told me was hard to believe and yet his words had been clear and unmistakable.

“Your gift and your duty” he continued, “is to explain Kabbalah, in such a way that all people will easily understand. You have merited this gift with your devotion and faithfulness, and I want you to accept it and use it.”

It was with these words that Ray Berg received the honor and responsibility of bringing the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah to the world. As the devoted student of Rabbi Yehuda Brandwein — unquestionably the greatest Kabbalist of his time — Rav Berg had become familiar with the brilliant insights, complete dedication, and loving heart of his master. But he had never expected that the mantle of a centuries-old spiritual tradition would be placed upon his shoulders.

In Education of a Kabbalist, Ray Berg paints an unforgettable portrait of Rabbi Brandwein, a truly beautiful soul. At the same time, he reveals the deep and complex feelings that filled his own soul over the years in his transition from student to kabbalistic master in his own right. This is simply the most honest, accurate, and emotionally moving book ever written about a man who truly lives by the principles of Kabbalah in the contemporary world.